I’ve often quoted the spectacular TV comedies “Yes Minister” and “Yes Prime Minister” on this site because of the continued relevance of it’s portrayal of: “The political will vs the bureaucratic won’t” which apparently has not changed in the nearly 40 years since the last episode was broadcast.
In that final episode titled titled “The Tangled Web” A there is a clash between Prime Minister James Hacker (Paul Eddington) and secretary of the Cabinet and head of the Civil Service Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) over the PM categorically denying the bugging of a MP before parliament that he was not made aware of. Sir Humphrey refuses to back up this false statement in an upcoming appearance before the privileges committee. But before that appearance comes up Humphrey in an obscure interview not realizing a microphone is still live when the interview is done states that the you can half unemployment in a week by cutting off benefits to any person who refuses two job offers saying “they’ll be off the register before you can say parasite”. While the BBC had no intention of using the post interview remarks the PM gets ahold of a the master tape and Humphrey agrees to back up the PM’s previous denial before the committee to get his hands on the tape.
Well it’s 34 years later and we’ve finally found a pol willing to do something about this in Italy:
Ms Meloni had vowed to abolish the expanded welfare programme altogether during the campaign, arguing that it encouraged people to stay on welfare when they could work and was abused by fraudsters.
The changes announced on Tuesday would knock eligible workers out of the system after eight months or after they refuse a job offer, and requires recipients to actually live in Italy.
Where is this money going? Well it’s going to help Italy, a country with one of the lowest birthrates in the world make more babies:
To encourage families to have more children, Ms Meloni announced a 50 percent increase in the “baby bonus” checks parents receive the first year after the birth of a child and a 50% increase for three years for families with more than three children.
Women who choose to extend maternity leave beyond five months for an extra month can do so on 80 percent of their salary rather than 30 percent. Meloni, Italy’s first woman premier, also announced a reduced tax on feminine hygiene products and items for newborns.
The future belongs to those who show up and Ms Meloni is determined that those who own the future in Italy will be Italians who have a job.
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